Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Canada and Germany Advance Major LNG Supply Partnership 
ECB’s Philip Lane Warns Middle East Conflict Could Keep Inflation Elevated 
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Levels as Inflation Concerns Offset Middle East Ceasefire Hopes 
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
New World Screwworm Found Near U.S. Border Raises Threat to Cattle Industry and Beef Prices 
Nikkei Hits Record High as AI Chip Stocks Power Japan Market Rally 
S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as Iran Ceasefire Talks and AI Rally Boost Markets 
New Zealand’s business confidence surged sharply in December, reaching its highest level in three decades, according to the latest ANZ Bank Business Outlook survey released on Friday. The data highlights growing optimism across the economy, with forward-looking activity indicators continuing to strengthen and several measures climbing to multi-decade highs.
The survey showed that a net 73.6% of respondents expect the New Zealand economy to improve over the coming year, a significant increase of nearly seven percentage points from November’s 67.1%. Confidence at the individual business level also rose notably, with 60.9% of firms expecting their own businesses to grow, up from 53.1% in the previous month. These figures reflect broad-based optimism across sectors and signal a strengthening economic recovery heading into the new year.
Past activity and employment indicators also continued to improve, reinforcing the positive outlook. Businesses reported stronger recent performance, and hiring conditions showed ongoing momentum, suggesting that economic growth is translating into real-world activity. This combination of improving sentiment and solid underlying indicators points to increased resilience in the New Zealand economy.
ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner said the data clearly indicates an upswing in conditions. She noted that both historical performance and future expectations are moving in the right direction, helping to lift overall business sentiment. According to Zollner, optimism about the future is building as businesses see tangible improvements in demand and employment.
However, she cautioned that tighter financial conditions could pose some challenges. Higher interest rates and restrictive monetary policy may slow the pace of recovery slightly, even though borrowing costs and the exchange rate remain well below their previous peaks. Despite these headwinds, the survey suggests that confidence remains robust enough to support continued economic expansion.
Overall, the ANZ survey underscores a marked improvement in New Zealand’s business confidence, positioning the country for a potentially stronger growth phase in 2025. With optimism at its highest level in 30 years, businesses appear increasingly prepared to invest, hire, and expand as economic conditions continue to stabilize.
